McDonald’s has hinted at an upcoming collaboration with the non-fungible token (NFT) project Doodles — a collection of 10,000 colorful cartoon characters launched in 2021.
The teaser appeared in a video posted on McDonald’s official X (Twitter) account on November 12, showing a cup labeled “hot contents” and a date, “11/18.”
• ᴗ • 11/18 pic.twitter.com/LDxlE9pnrx
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) November 12, 2024
Although no additional details were revealed, the post quickly gained traction, racking up 1.4 million views, nearly 7,000 likes, and over 2,400 shares at the time of writing.
Following the announcement, the price of Doodles NFTs saw a noticeable increase. The average price of a Doodle rose to almost 2 ETH, marking a 40% increase from the previous week. CoinMarketCap data also shows positive trends, with sales volume up by 1146% and a 770% rise in sales over the past seven days.
This is not the first major brand collaboration for Doodles. Earlier this year, the project partnered with Rubik’s to release limited-edition cubes and digital collectibles. It also teamed up with Adidas to launch exclusive apparel inspired by Pharrell Williams’ Deysi mascot.
McDonald’s has been exploring Web3 and the metaverse for some time. The company began its journey in 2022, filing multiple trademark applications, including one for a virtual restaurant and another for “McDelivery.”
In 2023, McDonald’s took its first steps into Web3 with several initiatives. In January, it collaborated with Karen X Cheng for a Lunar New Year campaign combining the metaverse, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence.
In July 2023, McDonald’s Hong Kong launched a virtual experience in The Sandbox to mark the 40th anniversary of McNuggets. Later that year, McDonald’s Singapore introduced an NFT collectible series featuring the character Grimace, in collaboration with Bandwagon Labs and local NFT artist The Hidden Walls.
One of McDonald’s most recent Web3 projects was the “My Happy Place” metaverse experience launched in Singapore in June 2024. Developed with Bandwagon Labs, this virtual space allowed users to create their own restaurants and earn rewards both digitally and in real life.
